Just helped a friend download from the 2730A and then install repeaters on his ICOM 2730A and then upload to his radio. The 89 comments helped greatly. He runs Apple OS which he could not get to work - as a matter of fact you can't at this time run the Chirp program and talk to the 2730A using the cable he bought. 1. I am running Linux Mint 21.2 on a Thinkpad T440p laptop with Chirp-next-20230404 (since upgraded to 20231003). 2. Using a mouse plugged into the right back most USB port. Probably could have used the trackpad but didn't. 3. Went out to his car and plugged in the programming cable to S2 which is the right most sound plugin looking at the back of the 2730A. 4. Plugged into the right forward USB port with the programming cable. 5. Tried to communicate with radio selecting the USB option (vs TTY) - would not communicate. Followed the on-line Chirp instructions, tried HELP ME for the communications. Lots of turn off turn on 2730A. 6. Finally switched the USB plug to the left side of the T440p, don't know which of the 2 he chose but it all of a sudden started to communicate and we were able to Download from the radio into chirp. 7. Went back to the house, downloaded the repeaters within 250 miles of our location. Had to copy paste to get the repeaters over into the radio program. 8. Went back out to radio and was able to upload without a problem using the same USB ports as before. 9. One thing that happened was he could not switch between program channels until he unlocked the 2730A. Hope this helps someone.
I just picked up an ic-2730a and got a programming cable and am not able to get the radio to connect to my Apple Mac. 😞 My PC is old and has died so I'm afraid i'm SOL unless I literall but a new computer just to be able to program my radio....which is a non-starter. Hmmm.
So, I rummaged around through my closet and found an old Intel Mac. Used bootcamp to install Windows 10 and installed CHIRP. No problems connecting to the radio now. 🙂
I have the RT Systems software but don't yet have my radio. I think the RT software does all the same things as CHIRP from what I see here, so it's a matter of what you're familiar with rather than one over the other. Use what you have! :) Thanks for the video.
So great. I've been dreading the programming. This makes things so much easier. The auto populate options are king. Wow! Thank you. (New HAM. 1 week ago.)
I may appreciate this video more if I get my laptop in the loop. You do a good job making videos! You need to do a basic repeater programming video for IIC 2730A.
People always make these videos but they purposely leave out some of the most important information. Like the actual connecting process. There is a specific way this needs to be done or the radio won’t communicate. He makes it seem like you plug and play with no issues
Thank you for saying this. You took the words out of my mouth. As for it being on purpose, who knows for sure. What I do know is that if there is anything left out of a video, guaranteed that's the one thing I need the video for! lol.@@JK501TK
I definitely agree that Chirp is the way to go when available. I always feel like RT is running a racket. I shouldn't have to buy multiple versions of software to program different radios that use the same cable. Great video thank you. 73!
Rob - K8BCR .....im having some type of exe trouble with chirp. It downloads, I give it access approval to make changes to my hard drive, and accept terms etc. Then when I go to launch the program it behaves like it doesnt exist and begins the “install wizard” again. Do I have to have my mobile plugged in to even open the chirp menu etc?
Great video. Just have a few questions, did you use the USB-29A cable and inserting the 3.5mm plug into SP2 on the radio, and did you have to set-up the radio in “clone mode” per the instruction manual? Thanks for any help before I buy this radio.
I don't remember the model number of the cable. It was the one from RT systems. Yes, I plugged it into the speaker plug and then to the USB on the pc. I did not have to put it in clone mode on the radio. I believe clone mode is to plug one radio into another to clone it. The radio went into the correct mode as soon as I hit either read from or write to. Thanks for watching!
@@K5ATA Great and thanks for the timely response and information!! I feel pretty confident I can program it using CHIRP so it should be easy plus I can always refer to this video again. Thanks again, 73.
I had to turn the radio on and off a few times, plug and unplug the cable a few times and then it worked. Why it didn't find the Com port the first time is a mystery.
Appreciate this video. If I may ask, can I set low power 5 watts during RPT in the receiving frequency and have 50 watts full power to the transmitting frequency. An intent not to build heat on the radio and save on batter draw?
It really isn't bad using Chirp. If you ever need a hand programming anything, drop me an email and I can try to step you through it. Thanks for watching and 73
Hello! Thank you for your video. When I try to upload data to radio it does it, says reset all, but when I move the memory channels, it only shows two memories without names, and only those two, I’m very frustrated…. Anything would help!
IS there something else that must be set for the initial memory channel to work properly? I have 2 channels entered. But, when I cycle the power, the radio always starts with the last 2 frequencies that were on when I powered down. Thanks, in advance, for your help, Steve.
Sorry for the delayed response... no, it should be saving for you. Are you sure you are in the right mode? You need to be in the memory mode, not VFO mode.
I knew I had seen this name when you popped in the stream the other day. I've not messed with the MD9600, simply because I haven't had one in my hands. Thanks for watching
@@K5ATA No worries sir, I sent it back and got the 2730. I like to had froze my hind in and hands off but I got it installed and made my first contact today in a long time. If you happen to catch me on the air, please feel free to say hi. Also I referred a couple of new hams to your videos. I told them HamRadio 2.0 and yours were in my opinion the best ones. 73 sir, KD5LDE
Thanks for that! Hopefully we will have the machine in Batesville back on the air soon. That one is easy to hit from Tate all the way to Grenada and well past Oxford
Which cable did you use to program this radio? I bought the mirkit 6 in 1 which appears appears that it should work but I can't for the life of me get a successful read with chirp or the icom software.
I bought the RT system usb cable and I'm trying to program my radio with chirp but it isn't showing any USB ports when I try to import from radio. Any suggestions?
Can I use the ic-2730a as a repeater in my Jeep for when I go hiking with my baofeng? Tx offset .600 155.600 155.000 I've had no luck getting the manual for cross band repeat. Apparently you have to turn machine on differently? Can't find anything with 2730a as a duplex. But I suspect it's possible? I see a lot of people removing diodes because they didn't have a USA or Korean model. Scary.
USB 29A from what I am seeing online. Of course they are all backordered right now. (Looks ilke a standard USB on one end, and a 3.5mm aux jack on the other.
Got it downloaded and running last night. CHIRP didn't get me logged on. There confirmation number never came through. grr. So I have about 200 memory channels saved spread over about 330 slots. Is there a way to download the whole shebang to an application like Excel so I can go through and manipulate it to eliminate the gaps of unused slots and erase duplicated frequencies ? Or am I over-thinking things, as usual. Can I just use them in separate memory blocks and set up my scans of selected blocks? and back to CHIRP who is now telling me I can't use my e-mail because it is already in use.
I've got the IC-2730a and get all the way to and including Upload to radio. It appears that Clone to radio works and completes but the radio display stays in the Clone In mode. When I cycle the power off then back on, the radio Resets All. and then there is nothing in the radio. Any help would be great! 73 N9SDL
I'm trying to follow your instructions but Win 11 and a new data cable keeps giving me a FileNotFound Error on COM 4. I try to get it to find the port but it can't find it either. Any suggestions?
I wish it were that easy, I followed instructions to a tee (multiple times) and I'm getting spotty results with missing entries and memory banks starting and stopping at random points rather than where they were designated.
I use a 2015 MacBook Air and have no issues using CHIRP, their danplanet website has links to Mac OS version. You may need to alter your settings or hold down Control when you start the program, since this software is not from the official App Store.
good morning, i just installed a 2730a into my tacoma and i need to set it up with local repeaters and other frequencies. i am using rt systems. where should i plug the programming cable into? is it one of the two external speaker holes?
I installed chirp and bought the cable from Gigaparts for the 2730a. It pulled a driver on my windows 7 Pro machine. I loaded and upgraded Chirp to the latest version. When I go to download from radio it starts the clone and then fails. Is anyone else having this issue??
I would double check that you have the correct USB port selected. For example, on the pop up box that you select the Brand of radio and Model, above that is the drop down to select which USB port. When I initially went to clone my radio I had 3 USB port choices. I didn't know which USB port was the one that had the programming cable plugged in so I had to go one by one (for all three) attempting to clone, and found eventually that the third one (in my case USB Port 5) was the correct USB port. After selecting the correct USB port I was able to clone and upload just fine!
Never be afraid to ask questions! There is a cable you can buy to connect it from the USB of a computer to a 3.5mm plug in the back. If I recall correctly, it is the SP1 jack... but it has been a minute. Thanks for watching, and feel free to ask away!
There are many cables on the market. Many are Chinese clones that don't work. I'm told it must have a FTDI chipset. What is it and how can I be sure it's not a knockoff or a clone?
I have found that many cables have an older chipset. Some have a prolific chipset. Those you sometimes have to roll back the drivers on to make them work.
Obviously your setting this up at your desk, and have a 12V power supply. How do you program using Chirp when the unit is installed in a vehicle? I guess you need a laptop?
Yes, you would need a laptop to do it installed in a vehicle... Though I would guess you could use a Raspberry Pi with Chirp installed parked out front hooked to the radio and running headless, then just VNC into it from the house. Thanks for watching!
@@K5ATA thank you! Need a "mobile" (automobile units) with a slot for a Micro SD card. Then you could do all the CHIRP or RTSystmes work at your desk, save to the SD then insert SD into the mobile unit and select update :-)
To me CHIRP = Compressed High Intensity Radar Pulse. Your video does not start at the "beginning" and assumed prior knowledge. This was the most confusing thing I have ever seen. I was unable to get a clear view of your actions. Not large enough for me to actually see what you were doing. For some maybe this was enough but not for me.
Can you show how you connected the radio to the computer?
What programming cable are you using?
Very informative! I am buying an IVOM 2730a this morning.
Just helped a friend download from the 2730A and then install repeaters on his ICOM 2730A and then upload to his radio. The 89 comments helped greatly. He runs Apple OS which he could not get to work - as a matter of fact you can't at this time run the Chirp program and talk to the 2730A using the cable he bought.
1. I am running Linux Mint 21.2 on a Thinkpad T440p laptop with Chirp-next-20230404 (since upgraded to 20231003).
2. Using a mouse plugged into the right back most USB port. Probably could have used the trackpad but didn't.
3. Went out to his car and plugged in the programming cable to S2 which is the right most sound plugin looking at the back of the 2730A.
4. Plugged into the right forward USB port with the programming cable.
5. Tried to communicate with radio selecting the USB option (vs TTY) - would not communicate. Followed the on-line Chirp instructions, tried HELP ME for the communications. Lots of turn off turn on 2730A.
6. Finally switched the USB plug to the left side of the T440p, don't know which of the 2 he chose but it all of a sudden started to communicate and we were able to Download from the radio into chirp.
7. Went back to the house, downloaded the repeaters within 250 miles of our location. Had to copy paste to get the repeaters over into the radio program.
8. Went back out to radio and was able to upload without a problem using the same USB ports as before.
9. One thing that happened was he could not switch between program channels until he unlocked the 2730A.
Hope this helps someone.
I just picked up an ic-2730a and got a programming cable and am not able to get the radio to connect to my Apple Mac. 😞 My PC is old and has died so I'm afraid i'm SOL unless I literall but a new computer just to be able to program my radio....which is a non-starter. Hmmm.
So, I rummaged around through my closet and found an old Intel Mac. Used bootcamp to install Windows 10 and installed CHIRP. No problems connecting to the radio now. 🙂
I have the RT Systems software but don't yet have my radio. I think the RT software does all the same things as CHIRP from what I see here, so it's a matter of what you're familiar with rather than one over the other. Use what you have! :)
Thanks for the video.
So great. I've been dreading the programming. This makes things so much easier. The auto populate options are king. Wow! Thank you. (New HAM. 1 week ago.)
Great! Congrats on passing your test!
@@K5ATA Thanks. Of course the cables are on backorder. LOL. Murphy's law I guess. A couple of weeks. Until then... 73!
Can you comment to any error messages, I’m getting “ click the special channels tab on the main screen to access the C0 and C1 frequencies“
I may appreciate this video more if I get my laptop in the loop. You do a good job making videos! You need to do a basic repeater programming video for IIC 2730A.
People always make these videos but they purposely leave out some of the most important information. Like the actual connecting process. There is a specific way this needs to be done or the radio won’t communicate. He makes it seem like you plug and play with no issues
Thank you for saying this. You took the words out of my mouth. As for it being on purpose, who knows for sure. What I do know is that if there is anything left out of a video, guaranteed that's the one thing I need the video for! lol.@@JK501TK
Great video. I'm planning to buy the data cable but I don't see any data port at the back of the unit.
It plugs into one of the speaker ports on the back. Really easy to hook up, the manual actually makes sense on that one. Thanks for watching!
I definitely agree that Chirp is the way to go when available. I always feel like RT is running a racket. I shouldn't have to buy multiple versions of software to program different radios that use the same cable. Great video thank you. 73!
Yeah, Chirp is so easy... I just wish all the Chinese DMR radios would work with Chirp. Thanks for watching, Rob. 73
Rob - K8BCR .....im having some type of exe trouble with chirp. It downloads, I give it access approval to make changes to my hard drive, and accept terms etc. Then when I go to launch the program it behaves like it doesnt exist and begins the “install wizard” again. Do I have to have my mobile plugged in to even open the chirp menu etc?
Great video. Just have a few questions, did you use the USB-29A cable and inserting the 3.5mm plug into SP2 on the radio, and did you have to set-up the radio in “clone mode” per the instruction manual? Thanks for any help before I buy this radio.
I don't remember the model number of the cable. It was the one from RT systems. Yes, I plugged it into the speaker plug and then to the USB on the pc. I did not have to put it in clone mode on the radio. I believe clone mode is to plug one radio into another to clone it. The radio went into the correct mode as soon as I hit either read from or write to. Thanks for watching!
@@K5ATA Great and thanks for the timely response and information!! I feel pretty confident I can program it using CHIRP so it should be easy plus I can always refer to this video again. Thanks again, 73.
I had to turn the radio on and off a few times, plug and unplug the cable a few times and then it worked. Why it didn't find the Com port the first time is a mystery.
Appreciate this video. If I may ask, can I set low power 5 watts during RPT in the receiving frequency and have 50 watts full power to the transmitting frequency. An intent not to build heat on the radio and save on batter draw?
I don't think so... but I am not positive. Let me get my hands on the radio again and I will let you know. Thanks for watching!
Using chirp instead of the RT systems software, what programing cable did you use? Was it the RT systems cable?
Thanks for the video you make it look easy. I can build just about anything but really struggle with this type of stuff.
It really isn't bad using Chirp. If you ever need a hand programming anything, drop me an email and I can try to step you through it. Thanks for watching and 73
what cabel do you using ?do you install the driver 2730 also thx 73, Gr. from Belgium
It was the rt systems cable. I did not install any drivers or software other than Chirp. Thanks for watching and 73.
Hello! Thank you for your video. When I try to upload data to radio it does it, says reset all, but when I move the memory channels, it only shows two memories without names, and only those two, I’m very frustrated…. Anything would help!
IS there something else that must be set for the initial memory channel to work properly? I have 2 channels entered. But, when I cycle the power, the radio always starts with the last 2 frequencies that were on when I powered down.
Thanks, in advance, for your help, Steve.
Sorry for the delayed response... no, it should be saving for you. Are you sure you are in the right mode? You need to be in the memory mode, not VFO mode.
Hello from a fellow Mississippian, Tate county. Can you do anything with a MD9600?
I knew I had seen this name when you popped in the stream the other day. I've not messed with the MD9600, simply because I haven't had one in my hands. Thanks for watching
@@K5ATA No worries sir, I sent it back and got the 2730. I like to had froze my hind in and hands off but I got it installed and made my first contact today in a long time. If you happen to catch me on the air, please feel free to say hi. Also I referred a couple of new hams to your videos. I told them HamRadio 2.0 and yours were in my opinion the best ones. 73 sir, KD5LDE
Thanks for that! Hopefully we will have the machine in Batesville back on the air soon. That one is easy to hit from Tate all the way to Grenada and well past Oxford
@@K5ATA That would be good as I am in the Batesville and Oxford area a good bit,
Does it matter what speaker port you use , the radio has 2 , thanks for making this video
Use speaker port 2 (the one on the right)
Which cable did you use to program this radio? I bought the mirkit 6 in 1 which appears appears that it should work but I can't for the life of me get a successful read with chirp or the icom software.
I bought the RT system usb cable and I'm trying to program my radio with chirp but it isn't showing any USB ports when I try to import from radio. Any suggestions?
Sure you have the right com port and what not selected? These cables can be a bit wonky at times.
Can I use the ic-2730a as a repeater in my Jeep for when I go hiking with my baofeng? Tx offset .600 155.600 155.000
I've had no luck getting the manual for cross band repeat. Apparently you have to turn machine on differently?
Can't find anything with 2730a as a duplex. But I suspect it's possible?
I see a lot of people removing diodes because they didn't have a USA or Korean model. Scary.
Can you recommend a cable for using with chirp for this radio. Something that plugs into the head unit?
USB 29A from what I am seeing online. Of course they are all backordered right now. (Looks ilke a standard USB on one end, and a 3.5mm aux jack on the other.
Chirp says click the special channels tap to access c0 and c1 frequencies. Whats that mean?
Chirp is a lifesaver 👍
Yep... Now, if only all radios were chirpable... :)
Got it downloaded and running last night. CHIRP didn't get me logged on. There confirmation number never came through. grr.
So I have about 200 memory channels saved spread over about 330 slots. Is there a way to download the whole shebang to an application like Excel so I can go through and manipulate it to eliminate the gaps of unused slots and erase duplicated frequencies ? Or am I over-thinking things, as usual. Can I just use them in separate memory blocks and set up my scans of selected blocks?
and back to CHIRP who is now telling me I can't use my e-mail because it is already in use.
Sorry, didn't see this for a while. Chirp didn't work? Is it working now?
Is the RT Systems cable an FTDI? Or, does it not matter?
will the same cable work on both the icom 5100 and this icom 2730? try systems says it will but others say it won’t i’m confused
It sure looks like it. I believe they are both just FTDI chip cables. I don't have a 5100, so I can't be 100% sure. Thanks for watching, 73
I noticed there are 2 speaker jacks on the back of the 2730A. Does it matter which speaker jack is used?
Everything I've seen says to use the SP2 port (Speaker Port 2) which is the 2nd one on the right.
I've got the IC-2730a and get all the way to and including Upload to radio. It appears that Clone to radio works and completes but the radio display stays in the Clone In mode. When I cycle the power off then back on, the radio Resets All. and then there is nothing in the radio. Any help would be great! 73 N9SDL
I'm trying to follow your instructions but Win 11 and a new data cable keeps giving me a FileNotFound Error on COM 4. I try to get it to find the port but it can't find it either. Any suggestions?
How do you get the names of the repeaters to show on the display instead of the frequency numbers? Thanks
This should be fixed by selecting "Memory Names" checkbox on the "Display" tab for "Settings" in your image file in CHIRP.
I may have missed it, but can I have bank A certain channels only, bank B certain channels only? So 2m on A, 70cm on B ?
Using PL203? Or FTDI
When you say the speaker port, what do you mean. I see two speaker ports on the back
The SP2 port (the 2nd one - it's on the right) is the correct port to use for this.
I wish it were that easy, I followed instructions to a tee (multiple times) and I'm getting spotty results with missing entries and memory banks starting and stopping at random points rather than where they were designated.
Is there an alternative to CHIRP for those who run Mac OS?
RT Systems has a Mac version available. I've not used it specifically, but generally their stuff is pretty good. Thanks for watching!
I use a 2015 MacBook Air and have no issues using CHIRP, their danplanet website has links to Mac OS version. You may need to alter your settings or hold down Control when you start the program, since this software is not from the official App Store.
Which speaker port
Can I use chirp to program Icom 2300h ?
It appears so, it is in the list on my version of Chirp. Thanks for watching!
The programming cable plugs into sp2. Somehow that "unimportant" piece of information got left out this video.
good morning, i just installed a 2730a into my tacoma and i need to set it up with local repeaters and other frequencies. i am using rt systems. where should i plug the programming cable into? is it one of the two external speaker holes?
The SP2 port.. it's the plug on the right.
I installed chirp and bought
the cable from Gigaparts for the 2730a. It pulled a driver on my windows 7 Pro machine. I loaded and upgraded Chirp to the latest version. When I go to download from radio it starts the clone and then fails. Is anyone else having this issue??
Sometimes you have to use an old driver. I have to roll mine back to an earlier version on some radios
I would double check that you have the correct USB port selected. For example, on the pop up box that you select the Brand of radio and Model, above that is the drop down to select which USB port. When I initially went to clone my radio I had 3 USB port choices. I didn't know which USB port was the one that had the programming cable plugged in so I had to go one by one (for all three) attempting to clone, and found eventually that the third one (in my case USB Port 5) was the correct USB port. After selecting the correct USB port I was able to clone and upload just fine!
New to ham radio so don't laugh...but how do I connect the radio to the computer? I don't have any usb ports on the radio.
Never be afraid to ask questions! There is a cable you can buy to connect it from the USB of a computer to a 3.5mm plug in the back. If I recall correctly, it is the SP1 jack... but it has been a minute. Thanks for watching, and feel free to ask away!
@@K5ATA Thanks so much.
@@K5ATA SP2 jack
@@K5ATA SP2 Jack... not SP1
I have an icom 2084 dual band mobile I need programmed for my area is there anyone that can post a video on it
i keep getting a error says radio not communicating any idea ???
You sure you have the correct com port selected?
There are many cables on the market. Many are Chinese clones that don't work. I'm told it must have a FTDI chipset. What is it and how can I be sure it's not a knockoff or a clone?
I have found that many cables have an older chipset. Some have a prolific chipset. Those you sometimes have to roll back the drivers on to make them work.
Obviously your setting this up at your desk, and have a 12V power supply. How do you program using Chirp when the unit is installed in a vehicle? I guess you need a laptop?
Yes, you would need a laptop to do it installed in a vehicle... Though I would guess you could use a Raspberry Pi with Chirp installed parked out front hooked to the radio and running headless, then just VNC into it from the house. Thanks for watching!
@@K5ATA thank you! Need a "mobile" (automobile units) with a slot for a Micro SD card. Then you could do all the CHIRP or RTSystmes work at your desk, save to the SD then insert SD into the mobile unit and select update :-)
To me CHIRP = Compressed High Intensity Radar Pulse. Your video does not start at the "beginning" and assumed prior knowledge. This was the most confusing thing I have ever seen. I was unable to get a clear view of your actions. Not large enough for me to actually see what you were doing. For some maybe this was enough but not for me.
I didn't see any cables, does it communicate to the radio via Bluetooth?